*Clang!!!*
The woman was knocked flying over a hundred zhang by the clash!
The terrifying force tore open the webbing between the thumbs and forefingers on both her hands!
Her eyes narrowed slightly, peering at Li Guanqi with slitted pupils.
She had not expected the other party’s strength to be this formidable!!
Blue light flickered in her eyes, and more than ten eerie phantom beast spirits materialized around her body.
Li Guanqi frowned at her, confused as to who she was and why she had attacked him the moment she appeared.
Just then, the little girl flew through the air and placed herself in front of Li Guanqi, her small face filled with anxiety.
She hurriedly spoke up, "Sister Lan Xun, stop fighting! This big brother isn't a bad person!"
"The bad men chasing me were all killed by him, and he even helped heal my injuries!"
The woman froze for a moment, not expecting that Li Guanqi was actually the little girl's savior. It turned out she had acted too rashly.
The woman quickly sheathed her longsword, dispersed the beast spirits around her, and bowed respectfully.
Looking at Li Guanqi with an apologetic expression, she said softly, "I am sorry. I thought you were..."
"It's all my fault for attacking before asking."
*Roar!!!*
Jiuxiao's roar resounded across the sky!!
Lan Xun's heart trembled violently. Under the sudden pressure of the dragon might, she was slammed out of the air and driven down into the water!
Moreover, Jiuxiao's roars grew louder and louder, its terrifying dragon tail pinning Lan Xun against the water's surface, rendering her completely unable to move.
At the same time, the surface of the river within a hundred zhang was forced down by more than ten zhang!
This alone showed how furious Jiuxiao was.
Seeing this, Li Guanqi gently patted Jiuxiao's neck and murmured, "That's enough."
Jiuxiao turned its head to glance at Li Guanqi, only then relenting.
Opening its maw, it spewed a breath blast that shot violently into the water.
*Boom!!!!*
A deafening roar erupted from the river, and the surging waves cascaded down like a torrential downpour.
Blood leaked from the corner of Lan Xun's mouth as she struggled with difficulty to climb back up.
Her eyes were filled with dread as she looked ahead. That true dragon was completely obedient to the youth before her, shaking her to the core!!
One had to know that the dragon race was proud by nature; she had never heard of anyone capable of taming a true dragon!
This youth... just who was he?!
Lan Xun understood that she was no match for the true dragon, and even the youth himself could likely defeat her.
Rising to her feet, she bowed with clasped hands toward Li Guanqi once more, apologizing, "My apologies."
Li Guanqi waved his hand. Seeing this, Lan Xun breathed a sigh of relief.
The woman beckoned to the young girl, her face darkening.
"Xuan Qing! Just wait until we get back—see if I don't report you!"
The girl immediately broke into aggrieved tears.
"Wuu... wuu..."
"Wah! Wuu-wuu!!"
Her crying grew louder and louder. Xuan Qing sobbed, "I... I just wanted... wanted to see... the outside world."
"Why... why do we... have to hide away... the moment we're born?!"
Hearing this, Li Guanqi asked curiously, "You are merely demons. As long as you don't harm humans, why do you need to hide?"
Lan Xun looked at Li Guanqi in slight surprise, then dashed to the little girl's side to examine her.
Finding that her injuries were not severe, she turned back to look at Li Guanqi.
After a moment of silence, she explained the reason after all, sensing that someone accompanied by a giant dragon would harbor no malice toward them.
Sitting opposite Li Guanqi, Lan Xun said softly, "We... are a branch of the Spirit Fish Clan."
Li Guanqi frowned slightly and said quietly, "Merely demons. Why would the Mo Family send people to hunt you down?"
Lan Xun sighed softly, a trace of bitterness showing on her face.
"Because..."
Having said this, Lan Xun did not continue speaking. Instead, she slowly turned her back to Li Guanqi.
She lifted her hair, and on the back of her neck was an identical protrusion to the young girl's!
Only Lan Xun's looked even more like... a sword hilt!
Lan Xun let down her hair and looked up to meet Li Guanqi's gaze.
Though his eyes were purely white, she seemed to be able to read what was in his mind.
She smiled bitterly. "Does it look very much like a sword hilt?"
Li Guanqi fell silent for a moment, then nodded gently.
"You haven't guessed wrongly. Our branch indeed has a sword within our bodies! A bone sword!"
"A bone sword... born naturally fit to be forged into a sword blank..."
"A source of life... that brings calamity and extermination upon our race."
Li Guanqi's gaze trembled slightly, his mind deeply shaken.
In disbelief, he said in a heavy voice, "A source of life... That is to say..."
"If someone removes the bone sword from your body, you will die, won't you?"
Lan Xun smiled bitterly. "That is right."
"Yet the bone sword within us can be forged into a sword blank of any primal energy attribute."
"That is why so many people hunt us down."
The woman looked up at Li Guanqi, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Are you curious why I would tell you something so important?"
Li Guanqi was somewhat taken aback. Before her, it felt as though he could not hide the thoughts in his heart at all.
Even though there was not the slightest fluctuation in his mind, she could still divine what he was thinking, which was truly wondrous.
A faint smile appeared on Lan Xun's face as she said softly,
"Because we of the Spirit Fish Clan are born with the ability to distinguish the scents on people."
"From that, we can discern the other person's general thoughts and emotions."
At this point, the woman paused briefly, her eyes glistening as she looked at Li Guanqi and said gently,
"From start to finish, as you listened to me recount these things, there was not the slightest killing intent or malicious thought in your heart."
"Otherwise, the moment Xuan Qing woke up, she could have reverted to her true form and returned to the river."
Hearing Lan Xun's explanation, Li Guanqi came to a sudden realization.
No wonder she would share such a guarded secret with him.
Originally, he had found it somewhat puzzling that she would tell him something so critical outright without fearing that he might harbor ill intentions.
Now it seemed... even if he had harbored evil designs, Lan Xun would surely have had a way to escape, wouldn't she?
Lan Xun slowly stood up and offered Li Guanqi a formal curtsy.
Bowing, she said, "Thank you for saving Xuan Qing. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know how to answer for this once I returned."
Standing up, Lan Xun looked at Li Guanqi and smiled. "You are a good person."
"Our Spirit Fish Clan is small, so I will not invite you to be our guest."
"May your immortal path be smooth and clear, Immortal Master!"
Li Guanqi stood up, clasped his fists slightly, and said softly, "In that case, the mountains are high and the waters flow long—may we meet again if fate allows."
Lan Xun smiled faintly and took a deep look at the youth before her.
Looking back toward the river, she forcibly suppressed the faint stir in her heart.
All her life... she was born in the river and trapped in the river.
Her gaze dimmed slightly. With a wave of her hand, she parted the river and turned to leave with Xuan Qing.
Li Guanqi also let out a soft sigh. Looking at the brightening sky, he called out,
"Let's go, Jiuxiao. It's time for us to hit the road too."
Yet just as Lan Xun turned to look at Li Guanqi's retreating figure, a sword beam moved at blinding speed, flashing through the air in an instant!!!
Lan Xun's pupils instantly shrank to needlepoints. She did not even have time to draw the sword in her hand and could only shove Xuan Qing away with all her might.
Her shoulder was instantly run through by a golden longsword!!
"*Pfft!! Cough, cough!!*"
Li Guanqi spun around abruptly!!
Immediately following, a rumble erupted across the horizon, and an arrogant, chilly voice slowly rang out.
"You killed my men, and you think you can just walk away?"
Chapter 344